16 Painting kitchen cabinets
The project most likely to fail without the right process.
Cabinet painting · Ottawa
A new-looking kitchen, without new cabinets.
Doors, drawer fronts and frames cleaned, sanded, primed with a bonding primer and sprayed with a hard cabinet enamel, for a smooth, factory-like finish at a fraction of the cost of replacement.
Kitchen cabinet painting at a glance
- Typical kitchen$3.5k–6.5ksprayed doors, drawers and frames
- Turnaround5–10 daysincluding cure time for the doors
- Lifespan8–10 yrswith proper prep and care
- Our warranty3 yearswritten workmanship warranty
Why it matters
Cabinets are the hardest thing in a house to paint well.
Kitchen cabinets get opened hundreds of times a week, wiped with greasy hands and knocked by pots and shoes. Ordinary wall paint on cabinets stays soft, sticks where doors close and peels off the slick factory finish within months. Cabinet painting is closer to furniture refinishing than to painting a wall.
Ours starts with degreasing every surface, because cooking oil is the number-one reason cabinet paint fails. Then a scuff sand, a bonding primer made to grip existing finishes, and a hard cabinet enamel sprayed in thin coats. Doors and drawer fronts come off, are labelled and are finished separately, so every edge gets covered and nothing is painted shut.
Most of the cost of a new kitchen is in the boxes, the counters and the installation. If your cabinets are solid and the layout works, painting keeps all of that in place and changes what you actually see every day: the colour, the finish and the hardware.
- Degreased first. Every door, drawer and frame cleaned of cooking oil before sanding.
- Bonding primer. A primer made to grip slick factory finishes, so the paint doesn’t peel.
- Sprayed, not rolled. Thin coats of hard enamel for a smooth, brush-mark-free finish.
- Labelled and rehung. Doors and hardware labelled, refitted and adjusted.
What’s included
Every cabinet job includes
A small galley or a big kitchen with an island, every cabinet job gets the same process.
-
Colour, sheen & hardware plan
Colour and sheen chosen with samples, plus a plan for new or existing hardware and hinge holes.
-
Masking & protection
Counters, backsplash, appliances and floors covered, and the kitchen sealed off to contain dust and overspray.
-
Degrease, sand, prime
Every surface degreased, scuff-sanded, filled where needed and primed with a bonding primer.
-
Spray finish & reinstall
Hard enamel sprayed in thin coats, doors cured, then rehung, adjusted and checked with you.
Options & finishes
More than a colour change.
Painting is the start. New hardware, soft-close hinges, filled old hardware holes, a contrasting island colour or crown moulding painted to match can make a kitchen look new without touching the boxes or the counters.
Oak cabinets from the 1980s and 90s have open grain that shows through paint. If you want a smooth, modern look, we fill the grain first; if you like a little texture, we can skip it and save the cost.
Paint or replace your cabinets?- Two-tone kitchens
A contrasting island or lower cabinets. - Oak grain filling
For a smooth finish on open-grain oak. - Hardware changes
Old holes filled, new pulls installed. - Soft-close hinges
Swapped in while the doors are off. - Bathroom vanities
The same process, on a smaller scale. - Built-ins & bookcases
Living-room and mudroom millwork.
Methods compared
Brush, spray on site, or spray in a shop?
How the paint goes on matters as much as which paint you use.
| Method | Finish | Disruption | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brush and roll on site | Slight brush or roller texture | Kitchen usable sooner | Lowest cost; texture shows on flat slab doors |
| Spray on site | Smooth, near-factory | Kitchen fully masked for several days | Needs careful masking and ventilation |
| Doors sprayed in a shop | Smoothest and most consistent | Frames done on site; doors away for a few days | Controlled dust and temperature; the most durable result |
| Refacing or replacing | New surfaces | Days to weeks | Several times the cost of painting; right when boxes are damaged |
- Cabinet enamelsWaterborne alkyd and urethane-modified enamels level smoothly and cure hard. Some shops use two-component coatings for even more chip resistance.
- Thermofoil and laminateThese slick, plastic-faced doors need a specialty bonding primer. Peeling or bubbling thermofoil should be replaced, not painted.
- Oak grainOpen grain shows through paint unless it’s filled and sanded smooth first.
- Cure timeCabinet paint is dry in hours but hardens over a few weeks. Be gentle with the doors, and avoid sticky bumpers on fresh paint early on.
- Inside the boxesCabinet interiors are usually left as they are; painting them is an option at extra cost.
- ColourMid-tone greens, blues, greys and warm whites hide fingerprints better than bright white or very dark colours.
Built for Ottawa
Painting cabinets in an Ottawa kitchen.
Cabinet enamel is sensitive to temperature and humidity while it dries and cures. Dry winter air helps; in humid summer weeks, drying takes longer, which is one reason shop-sprayed doors give the most consistent result.
Ottawa kitchens also see heavy cooking through the winter, which leaves a film of grease on cabinet faces around the range and above the sink. That’s the area we degrease twice. Paint bonds to clean, dull surfaces, not to a slick layer of cooking oil.
Good to know before you book
Cabinet painting doesn’t need a permit. Plan for a few days without full use of the kitchen: counters stay usable once the masking comes off, but doors are away or drying for several days.
If the cabinet boxes are water-damaged or sagging, or the layout no longer works, painting isn’t the right answer, and we’ll say so. Our sister company Ryan’s Renos builds new kitchens.
Cabinet painting in the painting guide- Grease. Degreased twice around the range and the sink.
- Humidity. Drying and recoat times adjusted for summer humidity.
- Cure. Doors handled gently for the first few weeks while the enamel hardens.
- Hinges. Adjusted after rehanging so the doors close evenly.
- Hardware. Labelled and returned to the same doors, or swapped for new.
How we work
A cabinet repaint, step by step.
Most kitchens take 5 to 10 working days from prep to rehung doors, including cure time.
-
Visit
Count, inspect and choose
We count doors and drawers, check the boxes and the finish, and settle colour, sheen and hardware.
-
Remove
Doors off, kitchen masked
Doors, drawer fronts and hardware removed and labelled; counters, appliances and floors masked.
-
Prep
Degrease and sand
Every surface degreased, scuff-sanded, filled and cleaned of dust.
-
Prime
Bonding primer
A primer made for slick finishes, sanded smooth between coats where needed.
-
Spray
Enamel topcoats
Thin coats of cabinet enamel sprayed on doors, drawer fronts and frames.
-
Rehang
Reinstall and adjust
Doors rehung and aligned, hardware installed, masking removed and a walkthrough with you.
What affects the price
What makes cabinet painting cost more or less.
Cabinet painting is priced mostly by the number of doors and drawer fronts, because each one is handled, prepped and finished on both sides. A small galley kitchen with 15 pieces costs far less than a large kitchen with an island and a pantry wall. Our Ottawa painting cost guide and estimator lets you price it by the piece.
Door style matters too: flat slab doors are quickest, shaker doors have more edges, and raised-panel and glass doors take the most time. Oak grain filling, thermofoil, hardware changes and painting the box interiors all add to the job.
If you’re comparing painting with refacing or new cabinets, look at the whole picture: new cabinets usually mean new counters, plumbing and electrical work, and several weeks without a kitchen. Painting avoids all of that.
Comparing options? Read paint or replace your kitchen cabinets, or see interior painting to refresh the walls at the same time. We paint cabinets across the region, including cabinet painting in Kanata, kitchens in Riverside South and cabinet painters in Orleans.
Painting cost guide and estimator- Door & drawer countThe biggest single factor.
- Door styleSlab, shaker, raised-panel or glass.
- Current finishOak grain, thermofoil, laminate or old lacquer.
- MethodBrushed, sprayed on site, or doors sprayed in a shop.
- ExtrasIslands, crown moulding, pantry walls and box interiors.
- HardwareFilling old holes and installing new pulls or hinges.
Living through it
Getting through a cabinet repaint.
Your kitchen stays usable for much of the job with a little planning.
-
Before
Empty the cabinets into boxes, starting with the ones we’ll do first. We’ll give you a plan.
-
Prep days
The kitchen is masked off and sanding dust is contained; the fridge and sink stay accessible.
-
Spray days
Spraying needs the area sealed. We’ll tell you which days to plan simple meals.
-
After
Go easy for a few weeks while the enamel hardens: no harsh cleaners, and wipe spills promptly.
Painting guide
Learn more before you book
09 When primer matters
Bare surfaces, stains, glossy finishes and big colour changes.
20 Maintenance and longevity
How long paint lasts and how to make it last longer.
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Ottawa?
A typical Ottawa kitchen costs about $3,500–6,500 sprayed, covering doors, drawer fronts and frames. That works out to roughly $110–175 per door or drawer front, including the frames and prep. Larger kitchens with an island and a pantry run higher.
How long do painted cabinets last?
With proper degreasing, a bonding primer and a hard enamel, a professional cabinet finish typically lasts about 8 to 10 years before it needs touch-ups or a refresh.
Can you paint oak cabinets?
Yes. Oak’s open grain will show through the paint unless it’s filled first. We can fill and sand the grain for a smooth, modern look, or leave some texture if you prefer.
Can thermofoil cabinets be painted?
If the thermofoil is firmly bonded, yes, with a specialty bonding primer. If it’s peeling or bubbling near the stove or dishwasher, those doors should be replaced instead.
Will I be without a kitchen?
Not completely. Counters, the sink and appliances stay usable for most of the job, but expect a few days of masking and spraying when meals should be simple.
Do you paint the inside of the cabinets?
Usually not; interiors take a lot of time and see little wear. We can include them as an option if you’d like.
What colours work best on cabinets?
Mid-tone greens, blues, greys and warm whites are popular and forgiving: they hide fingerprints and small marks better than bright white or very dark colours. We can spray sample boards so you see the colour and sheen before committing.
Can you change the hardware at the same time?
Yes. We can fill the old holes, drill for new pulls and swap in soft-close hinges while the doors are off, so everything goes back on looking and working like new.
Other services
Often paired with
Interior painting
Walls, ceilings, trim and doors with real prep and two coats.
Drywall repair & prep
Holes, dents, cracks and stains fixed before the paint goes on.
Commercial & condo painting
Offices, retail, condo corridors and rental turnovers.
Last updated:
Free quote
Call or text for a free quote.
613-806-4000Talk to the painters who’ll actually do the work. Prefer to write? Send the form and we’ll get back to you within one business day.
- Call 613-806-4000
- Text 613-806-4000
- hello@ryanscontracting.com
- Mon–Fri, 7:30 am – 5 pm
- Ottawa
- Stittsville
- Kanata
- Carp
- Richmond
- Riverside South
- Manotick
- Greely
- Barrhaven
- Orleans
- Findlay Creek
Request a free quote
Tell us a little about the job. Which rooms or surfaces, rough sizes, photos you can text us later and your timing all help.